A Symbol
Humans have a tendency to try to see more meaning to things than they sometimes have. Of course, up to some point I can't escape from that. Many things represent more than the object itself, be it a country flag, a very old painting, a perfume or even a present.
People usually have a lot of objects, but do they know why they have that object? You see, most things anyone possess have a purpose, and usually they are useful. These take
cellphones, computers, books or anything one may do something with. You may gain these things as presents, or buy them as the most common option. But these objects mean nothing more than they are. Well of course you can have something for so long that you grow fond of it, and then it may become a symbol to you, like that mug that symbolizes the chocolate milk you drink every morning, or the headphones you put on every time you want to take your mind off the world.
Symbols are something important, from the simplest person to the most complex villain. It may be a symbol of faith like a cross, a symbol of peace like a feather, a symbol of love like a medallion, a symbol of pain like an old girlfriends perfume and any type of symbol for any feeling there exists.
Now, symbols don't just appear from nowhere, objects become symbols the moment it gets tied to a feeling. Some symbols grow feelings over time, but most frequently objects become symbol when they are bought or given as a present. You see, you get that lovely crystal statue from someone you love, it becomes a symbol, it reminds you of that special someone even being completely useless. This goes on even when you buy things, like that ring you bought because it made you remember someone important.
As you enter a place you can see many symbols, most may be just decoration, but a symbol nonetheless. But you may come to see this in time, very few people have a "negative" symbol in their possession. This is because humans hate pain and every memory attached to it, and get rid of anything that reminds them of a bad experience. You had an awful experience when you broke up after years of relationship, if the experience was really bad, most people throw away anything from that relationship, of course to some people don't throw away somethings for monetary reasons. But some people will keep these symbols as a reminder of a lesson, or respect, or even someone they had dear once. Even if it makes them cry when they look at it, it is a memory and to some people that may be an important memory.
But something puzzles me. What happens when you face an item that you have no idea what it is doing there? I mean, you have this object, it has no use, I mean besides paper weight, and for some reason you can't recall from the day you acquired it, you have no feeling attached to it. So basically you have an object that you can't use and that it is JUST an object, not memory on it, no symbolic existence. What do you do? It feels weird to see this, you fiddle with the object hoping to jaunt a memory, maybe a reason, maybe a purpose. But your heart refuses to give it a meaning, and your mind seems unwillingly to share a memory of it. You know deep inside of you, you want to make it a symbol, but finding no reason you can't.
I have held many symbols, most of them were personal to me, many and probably most I bought. Some I held for ages until I found someone to give it to, some I gave away for my own safe, some I sadly lost and some face every day and every minute with me. Symbols are things that can give you support, may have words of wisdom for troubled times, or may give you the energy and inspiration you need to go on. I believe each person has its own symbol, and treasure them, sometimes with life. Things need not to be useful to be important, they just have to mean something.
This is why I find it strange to see a meaningless object, with no purpose in existence. Maybe it is just waiting for the right moment.
Take care of your symbols, they may mean more to you than you realize, and may mean something to other people.